GIRLS BASKETBALL: Spring-Ford faces Cumberland Valley for PIAA-AAAA crown

Spring-Ford takes on Cumberland Valley in the PIAA-AAAA girls basketball championship game Friday night at 6 p.m. at Hershey's Giant Center.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

From the time a lot of them first met on the basketball court, as fifth-graders, they formed a bond that through the years would become tensile-strong.
Their sorority was based on success brought about by hard work, determination and drive.
Friday night, that magical journey that began way back at their school’s 7th Grade Center has reached its final destination for the five seniors on Spring-Ford’s girls basketball team.
The Pioneer Athletic Conference and District 1 champion Rams (31-2) square off against District 3 No. 5 seed Cumberland Valley (26-6) at 6 p.m. at Hershey’s Giant Center with the PIAA Class AAAA championship on the line.
Spring-Ford, which has won 23 straight games and is ranked 22nd in the nation by USA Today, is attempting to bring home its first state crown in a team sport in its 48-year history.

(For complete story, click here ... )

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Spring-Ford vs. Cumberland Valley breakdown

Brittany Moore (10), Sarah Payonk (54), Shelby Mueller (5), Courtney Hinnant (14) and the Spring-Ford girls basketball team overcame one of their toughest tests of the season Tuesday in a semifinal win over Cardinal O’Hara and are set to face District 3’s Cumberland Valley in the state championship game Friday night at Giant Center in Hershey. (John Strickler/The Mercury)

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

If you’re looking for someone to break down Friday’s PIAA Class AAAA girls basketball championship matchup between District 1 champion Spring-Ford and District 3 No. 5 seed Cumberland Valley, there’s likely no one more qualified than Mount St. Joseph Academy coach John Miller.
First off, Miller is one of the most successful and highly respected coaches in the state.
Perhaps more importantly, Miller’s squad lost just four times in 30 games this season. Two of those defeats were to Spring-Ford. The other two were to Cumberland Valley.
One thing that won’t be hard to predict is that the game will feature a battle of contrasting styles.

(For complete story, click here ... )

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Spring-Ford’s Stipa a star generations in the making

Spring-Ford's Sammy Stipa celebrates Tuesday's PIAA-AAAA semifinal win over Cardinal O'Hara. Stipa, Brittany Moore (10) and the Rams take on Cumberland Valley for the state championship Friday at 6 at Hershey's Giant Center.

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD – Bob Stipa made quite a name for himself as a three-sport standout at the former Spring City High School. Mark Stipa was a pretty darn good two-sport athlete at Spring-Ford. And the late Jerry Hefelfinger was indeed revered as an outstanding three-sport athlete at the former Collegeville-Trappe High School.
But the older fellas yield to the youngest, and only female among them … Sammy Stipa.
Sammy Stipa, of course, is the 5-foot-5 dynamo who has filled many roles and filled them superbly in the rambunctious Rams’ drive to Friday night’s PIAA-Class AAAA final against Cumberland Valley at the Giant Center in Hershey.

(For complete story, click here ... )

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Lineups are set for 2nd annual PAC-10 Senior Bowl

Spring-Ford quarterback Hank Coyne (11) of the District 1-AAAA finalist Rams will share quarterbacking duties with Pottstown’s Sage Reinhart on Team Freedom for the second annual Pioneer Athletic Conference Senior Bowl on Sunday, June 2 at Spring-Ford’s Coach McNelly Stadium. (Mercury file photo)

By Don Seeley
sports@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD – The draft is over and done with. Now it’s time to play some more football.
For a good number of participants in the 2nd annual Pioneer Athletic Conference Senior Bowl, it’ll be the last football game they play in … and for each and every one of them, it’ll be the last game they ever play in representing their alma mater.
This year’s event kicks off 3 p.m. Sunday, June 2 at Spring-Ford High School’s Coach McNelly Stadium.

(For complete story, click here ... )

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Coaching staff a big key to Spring-Ford’s success

Photo by John Strickler/The Mercury Spring-Ford head coach Jeff Rinehimer (center) and assistant coach Mickey McDaniel (in blue shirt at left) have the Rams one win away from a state championship. The Rams meet Cumberland Valley Friday night (6 p.m.) at the Giant Center in Hershey.

By Darryl Grumling
dgrumling@pottsmerc.com

ROYERSFORD — The fact that the Spring-Ford girls basketball team has reached the PIAA Class AAAA final is a tribute to the Rams’ roster of ultra-talented and ultra-unselfish players.
It is also a tribute to the Rams’ ultra-prepared coaching staff.
When Pioneer Athletic Conference and District 1 champon Spring-Ford (31-2) takes on District 3 No. 5 seed Cumberland Valley (26-6) for the state championship Friday night at 6 p.m. at Hershey’s Giant Center, it will no doubt be the high point for the 14 girls who suit up for the Rams varsity.
It will also mark the apex in the 19-year tenure of Spring-Ford coach Jeff Rinehimer, as well as his first-rate group of assistants.
Rinehimer, right-hand man Mickey McDaniel (the school’s athletic director who is a volunteer assistant), assistant coach Jeff Mast, JV head coach Geoff Kahler and volunteer assistant Stacey Huntington will all be on the Rams bench attempting to come up with a winning scheme.

(For complete story, click here ... )

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Spring-Ford ticket information

The Spring-Ford girls basketball team will play Cumberland Valley in the PIAA Class AAAA championship game 6 p.m. Friday, March 22, at the Giant Center in Hershey. Advance tickets are on sale in the high school athletic office 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, at a cost of $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for students; all tickets at the gate will be $8.00.
There will be a fan bus leaving from Spring-Ford High School Auditorium/Gymnasium 3:30 p.m. Friday. You must have a bus ticket that is available at the athletic department.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: SPRING-FORD GOING TO STATE FINAL

By Mercury Staff
sports@pottsmerc.com


As you can see above, the Spring-Ford girls basketball team is headed for the state final after a 53-49 win over Cardinal O'Hara in the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals.

The Rams will play Cumberland Valley on Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey at 6 p.m.

We have three stories from the game, all linked below, as well as some video posted below and more video on our YouTube channel from the game.

Keep it here all week as we get you set for the Rams' date with Cumberland Valley, as they try to become the first area basketball team in 20 years to win a state championship (Pottstown boys, 1995).

Wednesday's Stories

• Spring-Ford heading for Hershey after Stipa's clutch free throws seal victory (by Don Seeley)
• Hungry Rams get over semifinal hump (column by Darryl Grumling)
• Finally faced with pressure, Rams pass their biggest test (by Austin Hertzog)

Follow us on Twitter @PottsMercSports, as well as writers Darryl Grumling (@MercSmokinD), Austin Hertzog (@AustinHertzog), Don Seeley (@DonSeeley1) for the very latest.

Below is ticket information we received from Spring-Ford late Tuesday night:

Advance reserved-seat tickets for the PIAA Class AAAA girls basketball championship game between Spring-Ford and Cumberland Valley will go on sale in the high-school athletic office 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, and again 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday while supplies last. Tickets are priced at $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for students.

Fan-bus information will be released by the school Thursday